Joseph "Clayne" Crawford (born April 20, 1978) is an American actor. He is best known for his roles as Martin Riggs on the Fox series Lethal Weapon (2016–2018) and Teddy Talbot on the SundanceTV series Rectify (2013–2016), the latter earning him a nomination for the Critics' Choice Television Award for Best Supporting Actor in a Drama Series. He has also had supporting roles in the films A Walk to Remember (2002), Swimfan (2002), A Love Song for Bobby Long (2004), The Great Raid (2005), and Wristcutters: A Love Story (2006). He began the Clayne Crawford Foundation to raise awareness and funds for non-profits that empower veterans, children and women of his home state, Alabama.
Early life Joseph Crawford was born in Clay, Alabama, on April 20, 1978, the son of Lennie Crawford and Brian Crawford. He graduated from Hewitt-Trussville High School, where he was on the football and wrestling teams.
Career In 1996, Crawford moved to Los Angeles to look for acting work. He took construction jobs to support himself while appearing in small theaters. In 2000, to distinguish himself from others with a similar name, he stopped using the name "Joey Crawford" and began appearing with the name "Clayne Crawford". He created his new first name by taking the name of his hometown (Clay, Alabama) and combining it with the word "clan" in honor of an ancestor. He had a recurring role in the first season of Jericho as Mitchell "Mitch" Cafferty. In 2008, he appeared on Life in the episode "Evil ... and His Brother Ziggy". Crawford was the protagonist in the 2010 straight-to-DVD prequel to Smokin' Aces, Smokin' Aces 2: Assassins' Ball. In 2010, he had a recurring role in the eighth season of 24 as Kevin Wade, a young, mysterious man. He also appeared in the first and second season of the A&E series The Glades.
Crawford played the role of Ted "Teddy" Talbot Jr. in the first SundanceTV original series, Rectify, which was aired for four seasons from 2013 to 2016. The series, exploring a man who is released from prison after 19 years on death row after DNA evidence appears to support his innocence, also looks at the effects on his family and town. It received critical praise and won a Peabody Award in 2014, also receiving notice for its treatment of issues in criminal justice.Profile , sundance.tv; accessed April 20, 2015. In 2015, Crawford played the role of Cade LaSalle, older brother to Christopher LaSalle on NCIS: New Orleans.
Beginning in 2016, Crawford portrayed Martin Riggs in the Fox television reboot Lethal Weapon. Crawford was fired after two seasons, in May 2018, amid reports of conflicts between cast and crew on the show's set, and replaced with a new character played by Seann William Scott.
His career also includes different projects aimed at streaming services, such as a supporting actor role in Netflix original film Spectral, and the role of protagonist in one of the episodes of Hulu's anthology series Into the Dark. In 2026, Crawford starred in season 2 of Showtime's The Agency as the primary antagonist.
From 2019 to present, Crawford has started focusing mostly on independent filmmaking, starring in acclaimed drama films The Killing of Two Lovers and The Integrity of Joseph Chambers, action movie The Channel, and thriller films Finestkind and The King Tide.
Filmography Film Year Title Role Notes 2001 One Blood Planet Cady 2002 A Walk to Remember Dean Swimfan Josh 2004 A Love Song for Bobby Long Lee Evil Remains Tyler Direct-to-video 2005 The Great Raid PFC Aldridge Trust Jim Short film 2006 Steel City Ben Lee Wristcutters: A Love Story Jim False Prophets Wade Carpenter F8 Driver Short film Unknown Detective Anderson Feel Jeremy 2007 7-10 Split Mike Walk the Talk Reed God's Beach Adam Short film On the Doll Wes X's and O's Simon 2009 The Donner Party William Eddy 2010 The Perfect Host John Taylor Baby Jonas Carter Kingshighway Billy Jones Smokin' Aces 2: Assassins' Ball Agent Baker Direct-to-video 2011 Pox Julius 2012 The Baytown Outlaws Brick Oodie The Truth in Being Right Carl Weintraub Short film 2013 N.Y.C. Underground Siman Direct-to-video 2014 The Lachrymist The Disc Jockey of 94.9 KLAS (voice, as William Westhoven) Short film 2015 A Fighting Season Mason Convergence Ben 2016 Warrior Road Charlie Spectral Sergeant Toll 2017 Above Ground Thad 2018 Tinker! Grady Lee Jr. 2020 The Killing of Two Lovers David 2022 The Integrity of Joseph Chambers Joe 2023 The Channel Jamie Sheridan The King Tide Bobby Finestkind Pete Weeks Drawn Wolcott Short film; also executive producer You & I Joseph Also Producer 2025 Stone Creek Karl Harding
Television Year Title Role Notes 1997 Buffy the Vampire Slayer Rodney Munson Episode: "Inca Mummy Girl" (as Joey Crawford) 2001 CSI: Crime Scene Investigation Henry McFadden Episode: "Chaos Theory" 2001–02 Roswell Billy Darden 2 episodes 2003 CSI: Miami Chaz Episode: "Freaks and Tweaks" 2006 Thief Izzy Episode: "Pilot" 2006–07 Jericho Mitchell Cafferty 5 episodes 2007 The Barnes Brothers Jerry Barnes Television film 2007 Women's Murder Club Dale Peterson Episode: "Maybe Baby" 2008 Gemini Division Sampson 2 episodes 2008 Life Eval Episode: "Evil... and His Brother Ziggy" 2009–12 Leverage Mr. Quinn 2 episodes 2009 CSI: Crime Scene Investigation Tommy Ruby Episode: "Miscarriage of Justice" 2009 Cold Case Darren Malloy '76 Episode: "Jackels" 2009 Dark Blue Jack Walsh Episode: "K-Town" 2009 Criminal Minds C. Vincent Episode: "Hopeless" 2010 Burn Notice Ryan Johnson Episode: "A Dark Road" 2010 24 Kevin Wade 9 episodes 2010 Law & Order: Criminal Intent Jeremy Parks Episode: "Lost Children of the Blood" 2010–11 The Glades Ray Cargill 7 episodes 2010 All Signs of Death Chev Television film 2011 CSI: NY Wes Dillon Episode: "Exit Strategy" 2011 Memphis Beat Derek Simon Episode: "Lost" 2012 Justified Lance 3 episodes 2013–16 Rectify Ted "Teddy" Talbot Jr. 30 episodesNominated — Critics' Choice Television Award for Best Supporting Actor in a Drama Series 2013 Graceland Donnie Banks 2 episodes 2014 Rogue Danny "Cheat" Chetowski 5 episodes 2015 NCIS: New Orleans Cade LaSalle 3 episodes 2016–18 Lethal Weapon Martin Riggs Main cast (seasons 1–2, 41 episodes);Also director: "Jessie's Girl" 2019 Into the Dark Nathan Episode: "They Come Knocking" 2025 Chad Powers Coach Dobbs 8 episodes 2026–present The Agency Vernon Crawford 9 episodes
Awards 2016 Critics' Choice Television Award for Best Supporting Actor in a Drama Series (nominated)
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